Sea surface oil extractor

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for extracting oil or the like from the surface of the sea. A centrally disposed ballast chamber is surrounded by a sump compartment into which liquids are deposited over the lips of a plurality of independently floating and an articulated weir member. The latter is provided with a substantially universal connection to the ballast chamber. A flexible skirt member forms an external wall portion of the sump compartment and is connected to the lips of the weir member. In this manner a pressure differential across the skirt member is communicated to an individual segment of the weir member in order to vary the elevation of the weir member in a self-compensating manner. Means are provided to pump liquids out of a submerged exit port in the sump compartment and for imparting direction to these pumped liquids in order to provide controlled propulsion for the skimming apparatus.

United States Patent [191 Wirsching 154]- SEA-SURFACE OIL EXTRACTOR [75]Inventor: Robin F. Wirsching, Summerland Key, Fla.

[73] Assignee: Reynolds Submarine Services Corporation, Miami, Fla.

[22] Filed: May 13, 1971 21 App]. No.: 142,940

52 U.S.Cl. ..2l0/242,210/DIG.21 51 Int.Cl. ..C02b9/02 5s FieldofSearch.21o/s3,242,mo. 21

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,534,859 10/1970 Amero eta1 ..2lO/DlG. 21 3,595,392 7/1971 Markel ..2l0/D lG. 21

3,547,553 12/1970 Stanfield ..2l0/D'IG. 21 3,237,774 3/1966 Schuback..210/DIG. 21

Primary ExaminerReuben Friedman Assistant ExaminerT. Granger Att0rneyl,ow & Matthews 1 Mar. 27, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for extractingoil or the like from the surface of the sea. A centrally disposedballast chamber is surrounded by a sump compartment into which liquidsare deposited over the lips of a plurality of independently floatingand'an articulated weir member. The latter is provided with asubstantially universal connection to the ballast chamber. A flexibleskirt member forms an external wall portion of the sump compartment andis connected to the lips of the weir member. In this manner a pressuredifferential across the skirt member is communicated to an individualsegment of the weir member in order to vary the elevation of the weirmember in a self-compensating manner. Means are provided to pump liquidsout of a submerged exit port in the sump compartment and for impartingdirection to these pumped liquids in order to provide controlledpropulsion for the skimming apparatus.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENIEUmzmzs ,5 SHEET 10F 4 INVENTOR. Rob/nE W/rsch/hg ATTORNEYS SEA-SURFACE OIL EXTRACTOR This invention relatesto an apparatus for extracting oil or the like from the surface of thesea and, more particularly, to a self-compensating weir arrangement bymeans of which the apparatus skims the contents of the surface of thesea.

. It has been known heretofore to employ skimming apparatus in order toextract from the surface of a body of water concentrations of oil or thelike. Such devices have in general been deficient in that the skimmingapparatus has been unstable or lacking in means for automaticallyadjusting the elevation of the weir or in providing means for regulatingthe intake over the weir in wave conditions.

The aforementioned difficulties and shortcomings have been overcome in'accordance with the present invention wherein a surface layer extractoror skimming apparatus carries its own ballast substantially centrally ofthe apparatus itself. A flexible skirt is employed to form a wallportion of a sump. compartment which substantially surrounds the ballastchamber. Thus there is provided means for communicating a pressuredifferential to the lips or upper edges of the segments of the floatingweir member in order to vary the elevation thereof. The apparatus isprovidedwith means for pumping liquids out of the sump compartmentthrough a submerged exit port therein. In this manner, the pressure onthe skirt member is varied from within the sump compartment and thisestablishes a pressure differential across the skirt member which servesto raise or lower the segments of the weir member whereby the skimmingapparatus is made self-compensating.

The apparatus of the present invention may be used in at least twodifferent types of environments. In one of these the apparatus of thepresent invention functions as a skimmer-collector. In this form, theflow of liquids in the sump compartment is turbulent and the sumpcompartment itself is relatively small. Oil and FIG. 1 is a plan view ofthe skimming apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view taken in vertical cross section along line3-3 of FIG. 1;

water are ultimately pumped into a suitable collectingskimmer-separator, wherein an inward radial or an inward vortex flow'isestablished which requires the use of a relatively large sumpcompartment. In this form which is described and claimed in the jointapplication of Robin F. Wirsching and Arthur L. Markel, Ser. No.143,105, filed May 13, 1971 and assigned to a common assignee, guidevanes and wave dampening means are employed. An axial flow oil-waterseparation pump such as is disclosed in a patent application of ArthurL. Markel, Ser. No. 833,105, filed June 13,1969 now U. S. Pat. No.3,595,392 is preferably used in connection with this form. If desired,the axial flow oil-waterseparation pump may be positioned at the bottomof the skimmer-separator unit and the water discharge therefrom used toprovide propulsion for the skimmerseparator unit.

The inherent advantages and improvements of the present invention willbecome more readily apparent upon considering the following detaileddescription of the invention and by reference to the drawings in which:

provided.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the presentinvention showing a skimming apparatus mounted between the hulls of acatamaran type vessel;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view, schematic in nature, illustrating the useof the apparatus of the present invention as a skimmer-collector of oiland water;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view, schematic in nature, illustrating the useof the apparatus of the present invention as a skimmer-separator of oiland water; and,

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating a Thisapparatus isprovided with a base plate 12 having upright posts or stanchions 14,FIG. 3, on which is supported a ballast chamber, indicated generally at16 which in service is filled with water or other suitable ballastliquid. Ballast chamber 16 has a vertically extending circumferentialwall 18 and inwardly sloping bottom walls 20. By filling ballast chamber16 with water or the like, a floating central counterweight is In orderto locate the skimming apparatus 10 in a desired position, asuperstructure is provided for the skimming apparatus. Thissuperstructure includes an eyelet 22, that extends through support plate24, FIGS. 1 and 2, from which a plurality of support bars 26 extend inradial fashion and-are suitably secured to the top of thecircumferential wall 18.

A modified superstructure is disclosed in FIG. 3 wherein modifiedsupport bars 26a are employed that are affixed atop the wall 18.Asubstantially universal joint connection, indicated generally at 28, isutilized in all embodiments of the invention. While the substantiallyuniversal joint construction can take any convenient form, a pairofshackle bolts30 provide one convenient manner of establishing auniversal joint. The shackle bolts 30 are connected to an eyelet whichextends from one end of each of a plurality of weir segment members,indicated generally at 32 in FIGS. 1 and 3. Weir segment members 32comprise weir arm segment members 34 which preferably extend in pairsfrom the universal joint 28 and lead in an upwardly extending portion 36to a weir lip 38. Attached to each pair of weir arm members 34 is aplastic lip float 40 secured thereto by bar member 42. Thus it is seenthat the floats 40 are spaced from and substantially encircle ballastchamber 16.

A flexible skirt member 44 is suitably attached to the base plate 12forming a lower edge of sump compartment 48 and extends therefrom to theweir lip or upper edge 38'.'Flexible skirt member. 44 thereby providesone wall of the sump compartment 48 which is exterior to ballast chamber16 which extends along the side of wall 18 as well as beneath theinwardly sloping bottom walls 20. By way of example, one convenientmaterial for flexible skirt 44 is canvas although other materials may beused therefor.

A debris screen 45 extends annularly around the skimmer l and projectsupwardly above the weir lip 38. Debris screen 45 may be attached to weirarm members 34 with the aid of suitable clip members 47,

FIG. 3. Debris screen 45 serves to keep floating logs and other solidflotsam from entering the sump compartme'nt 48 while permitting liquidsto pass over weir lip 38.

Base plate 12 is provided with a submerged exit port at 52 in which apropeller 54 is positioned. Propeller 54 is mounted on shaft 56 whichextends through the bottom of ballast chamber 16 and is provided withsuitable seals, not shown, in order to permit shaft rotation withoutleakage from the ballast chamber. A housing 52 within ballast chamber 16contains a right angle drive shaft 60 which is driven by an engine 62mounted within housing 58. A pump 64 is used to pump collected oil to acollection vessel through a hose, not

shown.

A rotatable joint 66 is provided at the exit port 52 whereby water andother liquids in sump compartment 48 maybe pumped out of the sumpcompartment 48 with the discharge thereof providing controlledpropulsion for the skimmer unit 10. Also in this manner, a

pressure differential is established across the flexible I sumpcompartment 48 in order to skim off oil which floats on the surface ofthe water in sump compartment 48. A suitable conduit 72 takes thisextracted fluid through hose 74 into pump 64 wherein the separated oilmay be pumped to a collection vessel through a hose connected to theoutput of the pump.

Reference to FIG. 4 shows the skimmer apparatus of the present inventionapplied to a catamaran type vessel '78 between its hulls or pontoons 80.Each hull 80 has a water directing nose portion 82 which combine tocreate a funnel-like effect for water entering and passing over the weirlip of the skimming apparatus. In this embodiment, a portion of thehulls 80 have been cut away at 84 in order to provide an outlet for thedischarge tube 68 in providing thrust for the catamaran vessel.

Referring to FIG. 5, a skimming apparatus schematically shown at a whichmay correspond to the type shown in FIG. 3, and illustrating forpurposes of reference floats at 40:: and a flexible skirt 44a, is shownto be provided with an open center or axial flow pump 90 of the typeillustrated in the aforementioned patent application of Markel Ser. No.833,105. A flexible hose 92 provides a conduit for the oil and waterpumped out of the sump compartment in skimmer 10a to one or morecollecting tanks 94 in a separate vessel 96. The water which has settledout at the bottom of the oilwater mixture in'tank 94 is then pumpedoverboard through pipe 98 with the aid of an auxiliary pump 99.

FIG. 6 illustrates another means for processing the output of a skimmerdesignated 10b having floats 40b and a flexible skirt 44b of the typeshown in FIGS. 1

and 2. In this arrangement, the apparatus of the present inventionfunctions as a skimmer-separator. Thus a mixture of oil and water ispumped through discharge tube 68b through a flexible hose 100 and avertical intake standpipe 102 attached to the hull of a separate vessel104 by conventional brackets (not shown). A non-return valve (not shown)is installed in the suction outlet of skimmer 10b.

The oil-water mixture is delivered to an axial flow oil-water separationpump designated generally at 106, of the type shown in Markel Ser. No.833,105, filed June 13, 1969, where the oiland water are separated. Thepump is mounted on platform 108 affixed to the deck of vessel 104.

'of suitable radially extending rods 110. As in the embodiments of FIGS.1-3, the screen 45aextends substantially around the outer periphery ofthe skimmer apparatus. Inboth forms, the debris screen 45 of FIGS. 1-3and 45a of FIG. 7 function to prevent undesirable floating debris frompassing over the weir lips 38 into the sump compartment 48 of theskimmer apparatus.

The use of a pressure differential across a flexible skirt is consideredto be quite advantageous in' maintaining a substantially constantattitude of the skimmer weir lip with respect to the wave motion on thesurface. In addition, the skimmer apparatus of the present inventionmaintains a favorable orientation when operated in a surface current.This is accomplished by having a plurality of weir segment members whichindividually and automatically increase the flow across the weir lips onthe upstream side of the current while decreasing the flow on thedownstream side because of the current induced inclination of thecentral floating counterweight tank or ballast chamber and becauseof themanner in which the floating weir lip arms are attached individually tothe tank.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description, since the flexibleskirt is connected to a floating weir lip arm, and the arm has itsinboard end pivoted to a floating central counterweight, the combinedeffects of the skirt tension pulling on the end of the weir lip arm andthe vertical ascension of the central floating counterweight produce amotion which forces the depth of flow across the weir lip to beincreased. The flow across the weir lip is increased automatically untilsuch time that the input flow matches the output flow thereby developingan equilibrium operating condition.

in actual practice, the skimming apparatus of the present invention hasbeen tested in a river where the current was one knot and wherein boatwakes produced waves which were two to three feet in height.

The lip 38 of the weir member 32 conformed to the surface of the waterand the flexible skirt44 functioned to control the input flow into theskimmer across the weir lip 38 in such a manner as to match the outputflow on a continuous basis. Moreover, an apparatus made in accordancewith the present invention was tested on a large tank wherein oil waspoured on the surface of the water in the tank and the oil wassubsequently extracted from the surface by the skimmer apparatus. Theextraction process was continuous and a constant sump level within theskimmer apparatus was maintained by the self-controlling action of theflexible skirt 44 despite the fact that a number of waves and a surfacecurrent were generated in the tank.

On one occasion, 120 gallons of 30 weight motor oil was added to thetest tank. The skimmer apparatus successfully extracted the oil from thesurface of the water inthe tank. The skimming apparatus was demonstratedto be self-adjusting in that the weir lip 38 of the skimmer apparatuswas maintained at a level such that the input over the weir lip 38matched the output of the skimmer while keeping the skimmer sump levelconstant. The output flow was varied from zero to five thousand (5,000)gallons wer minute. At an output flow of five thousand gallons perminute the depth of the flow of the water over the weir lip 38 wasapproximately 1% inches deep for a total weir lip length of 32 feet.This resulted in a very rapid removal of the oil from the surface of thewater in the tank. In this con nection, it is believed that the skimmerapparatus of the present invention has a capacity of at least tenfoldgreater than units presently available.

It has been observed that as the flow through the skimmer is increased,the dynamic stability defined as the stability to conform to the surfacewave motion also increases. This result is obtained because of theincreased tension in the skirt 44 because of a greater pressuredifferential being developed across the skirt as the flow rate isincreased.

The skimmer is insensitive to an impulse force which is applied on theskimmer by sea motion. When a force is applied on the skimmer eitherthrough one of the weir lip arms or through the center tank section, theenergy is evenlydistributed and dissipated throughout the entirestructureand this prevents any stress concentrations from developing.

While presently preferred embodiments of the invention have beenillustrated and described, it will be,

recognized that the invention may be otherwise variously embodied andpracticed within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for skimming the surface layer of a ofwater as definedin claim 1, wherein oil and water body of water comprising:

a. a ballastchamber,

b. an open-topped sump compartment exterior to and encircling saidballast chamber,

c. a flexible weir member having an upper edge and a lower edgeencircling said sump compartment, said upper edge constructed andarranged so that a plurality of float members connected thereto providearticulation with respect to the surface of said body of water, saidlower edge of said flexible weir member being connected to a lower edgeof said sump compartment,

. means provided in said sump compartment 'comprising an inlet to a pumpmeans for removing the surface layer of liquid collected in said sumpcompartment, e. and means in fluid communication with the lower regionof said sump compartment for removing additional liquid therefrom. 2. Anapparatus for skimming the surface of a body pass over said upper edgeof said flexible weir member and said apparatus includes a secondaryskimmer means located within said sump compartment to separate oil fromwater in said sump compartment.

3. An apparatus for skimming the surface of a body of water as definedin claim 1 wherein said upper edge of said flexible weir member isinterconnected by means of a plurality of arm members to substantiallyuniversal joint connections on said ballast chamber, and said floatmembers are connected to respective ones of said arm members. I

4. An apparatus for skimming the surface layer of a body of water asdefined in claim 1 including means for preventing floating debris fromentering said sump compartment.

5. An apparatus for skimming the surface layer of a body of water asdefined in claim 4 wherein said means for preventing floating debrisfrom entering said sump compartment is ascreen extended around the outerperiphery of said skimmer apparatus.

6. An apparatus for skimming the surface layer of a body of waterasdefined in claim 5 wherein said screen is attached to at least one ofsaid arm members.

7. An apparatus for skimming the surface layer of a body of water asdefined in claim 5 wherein said screen is cantilevered from atop saidsump compartment to extend outboard of said upper edge of said weir.

1. An apparatus for skimming the surface layer of a body of watercomprising: a. a ballast chamber, b. an open-topped sump compartmentexterior to and encircling said ballast chamber, c. a flexible weirmember having an upper edge and a lower edge encircling said sumpcompartment, said upper edge constructed and arranged so that aplurality of float members connected thereto provide articulation withrespect to the surface of said body of water, said lower edge of saidflexible weir member being connected to a lower edge of said sumpcompartment, d. means provided in said sump compartment comprising aninlet to a pump means for removing the surface layer of liquid collectedin said sump compartment, e. and means in fluid communication with thelower region of said sump compartment for removing additional liquidtherefrom.
 2. An apparatus for skimming the surface of a body of wateras defined in claim 1, wherein oil and water pass over said upper edgeof said flexible weir member and said apparatus includes a secondaryskimmer means located within said sump compartment to separate oil fromwater in said sump compartment.
 3. An apparatus for skimming the surfaceof a body of water as defined in claim 1 wherein said upper edge of saidflexible weir member is interconnected by means of a plurality of armmembers to substantially universal joint connections on said ballastchamber, and said float members are connected to respective ones of saidarm members.
 4. An apparatus for skimming the surface layer of a body ofwater as defined in claim 1 including means for preventing floatingdebris from entering said sump compartment.
 5. An apparatus for skimmingthe surface layer of a body of water as defined in claim 4 wherein saidmeans for preventing floating debris from entering said sump compartmentis a screen extended around the outer periphery of said skimmerapparatus.
 6. An apparatus for skimming the surface layer of a body ofwater as defined in claim 5 wherein said screen is attached to at leastone of said arm members.
 7. An apparatus for skimming the surface layerof a body of water as defined in claim 5 wherein said screen iscantilevered from atop said sump compartment to extend outboard of saidupper edge of said weir.